Friday, February 29, 2008

I seem to be addicted to the Brits!

不知何时起我对英国以及英式相关的一切特产一往情深,如,他们发音时的glottal stop,me读成meh, Hello Mate!Hugh Grant、Colin Firth为代表的绅士、下午茶、皇家骑士、奥斯卡王尔德、同性婚姻法、剑桥、Robert Frost、福尔莫斯、伦敦地铁、英伦摇滚、英吉利海峡云云。

从小的耳濡目染真是不可小瞧,我看是从新概念英文开始的。

可当初为什么我来了加拿大而不去岛国,因为英镑实在太重磅了!而且the Brits相对封闭排外,我继续远观的好。

最近在听英国摇滚组合Elbow的专辑The Seldom Seen Kind,看了wiki后惊诧,不是3月份才发行么!怎么已经漏了!他们的音乐元素很丰富,一首一个味道。Grounds for Divorce让我想到Robert Plant,Weather to fly虚幻缥缈,The Fix带点舞台剧的诙谐,On a day like this又充分结合了弦乐和钢琴。真有才!Guy Garvey的声音通常是很深缓自省的。

Grounds for Divorce


昨天烧的引以为豪的美味可口的鸡翅


Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Mediamonkey, Gtalk一起运作的时候电脑就彻底驴掉了,打个汉字都要迟缓半秒-.-

Choices

【PV】- オーダーメイド / RADWIMPS (Order-made)


どっちがいい どっちがいい
Which is better, which is good?

There're so many flavours.

I wish I know what they're singing out. This's a superb MV.

Another round of recurring addiction. Old flame, OLD flame! I've never seen the MV of 'Iindesuka?'(Is that OK?) before. How it reminds me of LP's 'everybody', loud cheering and power to the people sort of good spiritedness. What's with everybody fighting away their bento towards the end? ROFL. Great rap, love it! Here's a download if you like the song.

【PV】- いいんですか? / RADWIMPS


Holy Hippopotami! HAHAHAHA. So FUN!
【LIVE】- ジェニファー山田さん / RADWIMPS (Jennifer Yamada San)


My all time favourite - 愛し (Ai wa kanashi)

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Down time



I'm not bed bound so don't worry. At least I have the mood to doodle. I need to get back in a healthy mental state which's more critical than body temperature it seems.

Happy B-day to Jady who's turning 2x of age.

And full support to ya's novel. I heard Yin Ying has become an avid fan of you. She keeps pressing F5 even when you're offline and show no sign of update XD

Thursday, February 21, 2008

苏州的雪

家信 08年2月18

小颖:一直拖到现在才把照片从照相机中释放到电脑上,所以苏州的雪景照片已经不新了,但还可以看看,这几张雪景照片分别是在学校新校区和在我们家楼顶上拍的。另外还有几张照片是这次春节回去给舅舅和姨妈家的三个小孩拍的,分别是庆庆(二姨妈家)、戴默函、(大姨妈家,17个月)、周高源(舅舅家,6个月),照片发给你随便看看。最近怎样,一切都好吧?注意安全,晚上早点回来,不要太晚。祝吃好、睡好、身体好、工作好。

妈妈

哥哥嫂嫂的婚礼一个都没参加过,小的们出生一个都没见着过,但存在是真实的,生长是神速的!我觉得难过的是,爸妈也盼着抱孙女可我的单身日子似乎是个无底洞!

苏大学生堆的雪猪??


阳台的石礅长出好大一头蘑菇


从阳台望去


苏大新校区的巨额图书馆“宝莲灯”-.-!华而不实,但还是颇上照的。。。


外甥1号小名叫庆庆,二哥的崽,长得像他爸,貌似是个美男胚。


外甥2号周高源,三哥的崽,长得像妈,以后不要又高又圆啊!


外甥女戴默函,大哥的甜心,多有文学气质啊!


小祖宗排排坐~


今天真的好累啊,累得我骨头都软了。。。

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

5th Revamp since inception

The graphic footprints...
The website was borne on 2005 Dec 20. WOW! I'm ageing with it!

GARNET CROW Fansite 7 Seas
link http://delico.myth200.com/7seas

Freshman,ash blue
Concept: Sea, depression


Sophomore: Scattered icons
Concept: Messy desktop, indie (what's that?!)


3rd year: The crows postcard
Concept: lots of tables to make a clear presentation


Final year: Sketch book
Concept: cuteness, comic style


Jobless year: Work in progres
Concept: A return to clear presentation...


Technically I'm still stone age. T.T

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Monday, February 18, 2008

The 100 artists project

Ah, contrary to what I promised myself earlier, I stayed up again after a major hunger strike which prompted me to pre-empty tomorrow's bento at 12 midnight... And still I'm hungry?! Am I a disguised, self ignorant prego??

I came across this '100 artists project'(Website | Blog). In essence, it's a group effort raised for charity. Individual sketches (mostly pencil/ink) are submitted from participants all over the States and compiled into a 100-page volume book that's currently bidding for $500 starting price on ebay (link hree). Sadly, there're only 2 days left with 0 bid. Maybe I shouldn't cast the sad ending so soon as a lot of bids go on last minute. However, from the tone of the organiser, much discouraged and frustrated, the forecast isn't great.

As much sympathy and mental support I have for this group cause, I have to point out a major problem from what I see. Dude, if nobody bids I'll be upset as well =(((

You can view the full set of drawings here on flickr.

I would say 60% are A grade and the rest are page fillers. Sorry if I come across as condescending but some sketches are rather rough and amateurish. If you start with as high as $500, the works gotta be more high quality. A better way would be to filter through hundreds more submissions and pick the best.It also helps to have a handful famous players in the game. One gold is worth a thousand jades (lol sorry Jady, poke poke).

If there's no way around that, meaning pulling the current volume off the shelf(costs $6 bidding fee and several broken hearts), alternative would be to relist and lower the bidding price to around $100.

I do hope some good and rich soul bids for it! Fingers crossed. By the way the money goes to comic funds just so you know. I'm not a comic fan but I respect the cause and concept.If you don't think you can spit out the money, you can help by spreading the links.

By the way again, this project has two sub projects: the aforementioned 'single mailer', aka individual submissions, and 'big mailer' where a single sketchbook runs the marathon being mailed from one artist to another until the book is filled - We assume the book isn't lost/secretly possessed.

The big mailer project, not flight schedules.


It's the same as what we proposed for 'modoru sensei fan mail project': passing around one single postcard and the last one in the line mails it to Japan. How romantic and ideal - that's why we rejected it. We went for the 'single mailer' and so far are still missing a couple. For similar group actions, the least one can do is be responsible and beat the deadline. It really isn't much to ask. Are you civilized enough to think for the whole group? It's a matter of self discipline and respect.

Ah, time for bed, for real.

Kuso

Google search input: define:kuso
Return:

  • Literally, excrement. To call someone's achievement kuso is a strong insult
    www.corrieweb.nl/japan/glossary.htm
  • Japanease slang for damn/damnit.
    www.animeph.com/voc.html
  • "Shit!". Other meaning is feces or excrements
    www.geocities.com/colleen_rei18/terms.htm
  • Kuso is the term used in the Chinese world for the internet culture that generally includes all types of camp and parody. The Mandarin Chinese word ègǎo (惡搞, literally meaning "reckless doings") is often used as a synonym or description of its meaning. ...
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuso


  • The last definition is closest to what I intend to do since I feel a strong urge to kuso myself.



    ***

    Alrite, that's kinda meaningless. I just want to have some fun after washing dishes, doing laundry and manually cleaning the carpet for 2h (vaccum cleaner broke down).

    Going to update my long dormant GC fansite. Here's a rough sketch in progress which will be used for the main menu.





    I've decided to sleep earlier today for a good start =D

    Sunday, February 17, 2008

    So why don't you

    Lay your head down, in my arms, in my arms.

    这两句间的一秒之隙,吉他弦坚定而干脆的蹦擦着,让人心跳不已。Lay your head dow的现场版比录音版更rock,Keren Ann一边弹着吉他一边吹口琴,节奏很快,现场十分活跃。Sailor and Widow那是二楼的地板都在振颤啊,低音贝斯手弹的整个人抽筋,鼓手哐哐一阵狂敲。Keren剪了清爽的短发,套着一件印有金光CASH字样的黑色T恤,演奏的游刃有余。我之前只当她是温柔甜美的民谣歌手,没想到有刚烈的一面,算是意料之外的惊喜吧。

    开场曲是chelsea burns,主要演奏了同名专辑Keren Ann中的歌曲:It's all a like, lay your head down, between the flatland and the caspian sea, the harder ships of the world。这张专辑我没仔细听过,唱caspian sea的时候打着暗蓝色的舞台灯光,悠悠的像在海洋上飘荡一般。另一首有相同感觉的是For You and I,'The sea is cold as ice, lonely as it seems. The wind came to my eyes, woke me from the dreams'她的声音像麻药像烟,冷冷的海风隔着梦中一层纱恍恍惚惚的吹来,It's over-- now,for you and I,for you and I。听得我心肌梗塞。

    I'm not going anywhere是名曲当然少不了,我还很兴奋的录下来了,不过没有想象的那么精彩。因为坐在二楼,相机又差无法调焦拉近,各位勉强听听吧。


    Encore有两首,其中一首(回家查了过后才知道)是Jardin D'hiver,Keren说'This song is written for my friend to sing. He died yesterday.So this song is for him, for living a beautiful life.'整个舞台只有她手中那把吉他轻轻的伴奏着,听来满是安静谢幕后的落寞。后面一首也是法文的,不在专辑里 - 她说,'Off the stage lights',然后拿起话筒清唱。我们很感谢她的用心别致,情人节这样过真也不坏。

    我真tmd写的次序倒错一团浆糊啊!现在来交待下场地-.-!怪不得没有座位可选,因为是在市中心一家名为Richard's on Richards的酒吧里。楼下一个舞池给他们放乐器设备,楼上一圈高椅子可以边喝酒边看,观众并不很多,六七十左右,但酒吧本就不大,容这些人不挤不宽刚刚好。Keren Ann之前是Dean and Brita,说他们是暖场的也不对,有不少人确实是冲着DB来的。原本定在8点开始,等到DB上场都已经9点半了,半小时后轮到Keren,实际演唱也就一个多小时-.-!总之,等的好辛苦啊!Amy说,Keren耍大牌么?耍小牌吧XD

    贴图时间

    这个是我,好久没出场了。各位尽可放心,看我脸上那堆肉,看我盘里那堆饭,这日子过的不能再油水了!


    一楼的吧台


    舞台设置


    Keren


    纪念品是必不可少滴,买了件Nolita T-shirt,还有Not going anywhere专辑,只要10块钱,赚了!


    Lay your head down - 这个是Keren去年在巴黎的演唱片断,和温哥华这场编曲相同,吉他男也还是那个卷毛,只不过instead of 西装,他穿了皮上衣和紧身牛仔裤,腔调不错。


    ***

    伦敦春/秋季时装秀15号正式结束,感兴趣的可以到官网看照片和录影
    http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk

    Vivien Westwood隔了数年再次抛头露面,推出'Red line'。话说我经常把她和Clint Eastwood搞,东西不分!西木的设计特色是朋克,我觉得她的条状针织系列很经典。

    最喜欢这张了<3






    这次时装秀的闪耀之星是Christopher Kane,推出了一套'Celtic warriors'的设计,结合了金属装饰、鳞片、纱、民族图案。舞台效果丰富是没错,可我不觉得特别浪漫啊。看那些评论动不动就'Kane romantizes the catwalk’,嗷!

    Christopher Kane


    还有Basso头顶一鸵鸟蛋系列。。。


    下面的几张忘了谁设计的了,分别为海藻和飞行小姐。



    Thursday, February 14, 2008

    V-day special: a date with Keren Ann



    This's a late night post. I'm caught in a dubious trance where both the states of sleep and awakeness bore me to equal extent, so here I sit typing with half my brain numb and derailed.

    V-day is the only day I don't need my mum's 'tactful' reminder to remember I'm still single. The day before, technically hours ago, she asked 'Any plans tomorrow?' Mum you're kinda cute. So I taunted 'What about you?' She was beyond shock '(wat wat wat) - voice over, if your dad celebrates it, I'll think he's gone bad!' You see, there's no romance in our family although they both study chemistry.

    Allow me to shout, love is great! with my limited understanding and appreciation of the subject matter. I wish people in love ample happiness even for one day.

    As for me, I have a date with Keren Ann. Gonna dress up to the 9s and report back in real time XD

    Wednesday, February 13, 2008

    Death & Taxes

    今年我打算自己报税,比学生时来的容易。社保和养老金都扣了,总之该扣的都扣了,大扣穷扣死里扣的重税加拿大是穷人的天堂、富人的地狱。看看我,独生、无子女、无依靠、健康、四肢健全、无福利可享 — 表格一路下来全是零蛋,Taxable income为零,又因是去年下半年才开始工作的,收入总值俨然一个“穷人”,顺利的话还倒贴给我。讽刺!年收入六万以上的平均下来要交25%的税,四分之一!多心疼呐!这不是少一块肉的问题,是少两条腿或两条胳膊的问题。

    别人问起来我也出国N久了,但完全无法回答在国外生活是何等情况。之前被大人批评过(唉,我也是大人了啊)只读圣贤书两耳不闻窗外事,是不好,我仍在反省学习。

    超可爱的便签纸制作的动画(Directed by Andrei T. Bakhurin)


    苍井优真可爱!说不上“漂亮”,但看着很舒服很优雅。她让我想到Liv Taylor。。。

    小优小优~~



    Monday, February 11, 2008

    Run with little doggie to where the sun sets in the far west

    This's a record setting entry with the longest title!

    Last week I took my friend's doggie Bobo out for her afternoon walk. I find it funny how humans domesticate dogs for centuries but no matter how docile they've become, they still have an incurable itch for the wild wild nature. Look at this little thing circling around me: the minute I took out the dog chain (not even setting foot outside the door yet), she jumped at my leg and barked in joy. Who let the dogs out? - Me (today exclusive)

    I'd love to let her off the leash if only for the 30min freedom she's entitled to as a dog, a dog dog, a particular creature with a tiny moist nose that twitches and smells anything everything from tree trunks to puddles to soiled grass. So instead of granting her unleashed freedom, I ran with her at dog speed - which I'm ashamed to admit, out competes me by a good stretch. I was soon panting and felt a thin film of steamy sweat climbing up my back and radiating off heat through my thick down jacket. This happy little thing swinging her furry round dog butt, swaggering in front of me, dawdling among the bushes refusing to proceed - I envy her! Then I deliberately picked up speed and ran down the lane. She was tucked at the neck and ran beside me boisterously. We were dashing towards the other side of asphalt road where dark woods were silently drenched in orange sunset. The air was damp and slightly chilly, with scents of barks and wet soil. Night was falling without a sound. A moment of solitude with a dog whose only presence I felt, was a reassuring tug of weight through the leash into my hand. 'I don't know what it is.'

    It was a fine day.


    Riding off into sunset - Merci, La fin.


    A convenience store opposite the bus stop where I was waiting


    This tree reminds of Magritte's Empire of light, see below. The photo was adjusted coz it was too dark. It exuded a foreboding presence.




    I'm rather proud of my current tea set XD Totally going English.


    Bobo nestled in my bean couch

    Sunday, February 10, 2008

    安娜与安娜


    导演: 林爱华
    编剧: 林爱华 / 黄仙娥
    主演: 林嘉欣 / 陆毅
    上映年度: 2007
    语言: 普通话
    官方网站: http://www.annaandannamovie.com/
    制片国家/地区: 中国 / 香港 / 新加坡
    又名: Anna & Anna

    预告(断章取义!哪是什么恐怖片啊-.-!所以说这片子相当走题!)


    警告:剧透!

    刚看完来写个短评。这部片子是讲同一个女人性格分身,在世界的两角过着截然不同的生活,但爱着同一个男人,也最终为了这个男人不得不面对自己,一切回到原点。画面很漂亮,音乐很到位,但总体给我的感觉是不上不下。要说惊悚吧,开头的梦和画廊事件确实让我的神经处于紧绷状态,可到了俩人照面时,这好不容易渲染出的悬疑气氛被她们三言两语的冲淡去了,好像是理所当然的事。最关键的戏份是两人交换身份3天,在这3天内回忆导致分身的根本原因 - 某忧郁男,和自己的内心作决斗,到底是留是走?结果发现就算性格分身,仍是无法自我欺骗。所以,什么都没改变。

    主题还是好的,但有很多交待过于马虎的场景,让人觉得不温不热的。比如说凶版安娜一换回去就变成温柔贤妻,温柔安娜一换回去变得有点呆头木鸡。无比激动的买了机票回新加坡就这么远走高飞了,可过了一晚又改变心意要回去了- 这变化也太唐突了!回忆部分也不够充实,挠不到痒,没充分利用“分身”的优势。这么说是剧本问题。。。

    可怜了新加坡的痴情帅锅,歌也唱的不错。

    剧照

    Saturday, February 09, 2008

    Waking up in a dream

    一回家就倒头睡,断断续续做了好几个小梦都非常奇怪。本以为自己会一觉睡到天明,醒来时天还黑着,我迷迷糊糊的想不会是睡了超过24小时了吧,不记得自己在哪里,不知道自己是睡,又是这种很讨厌的感觉。

    梦见了房东和我共进晚餐。。。貌似是土豆泥,用微波炉加热时里面放了把蓝色塑料勺,塑料化了混在食物里,这还能吃吗?房东竟然把脚也伸了上来拿叉,麻利的很,三头六臂的左右开弓。这算是噩梦吧?醒来时我只记得这个细节。



    第一次喝V8深感世上怎么有那么难喝的东西,健康食品没一样能入口的!可现在竟然享受上了,买了6 PACK放在办公室冰箱里作能源后备。

    重温了6集Cowboy Bebop,感触良多。第24集(也就是大结局前的插曲)在整26集中有着很特殊的地位,很女性化,很怀旧,很落寞,很有人情味儿。一个丧失记忆的女人收到10年前自己录制的录影带,辗转了半个多世纪半个多太阳系来到收件人手中。画面里有个很阳光的小女孩在热带的海边为10年后的自己鼓舞“加油,我,我,我。”- 不记得了。早上好,我。10年后的我睡的可好?早上的空气、风和阳光是否带来崭新的一天?10年后的我是否孤独一人?还是有个好人陪在身边?无论发生什么,现在的我都会为你加油鼓舞。她顺着记忆残片去寻找自己的故居,像小学生一样在回家的路上疾走,沿着绿荫道在汗湿的下午飞跑起来,推开门,过去已成一片废墟。她找到原来床铺的位置,用树枝在泥土中划出整整齐齐一个轮廓,然后躺在框框里望着天空。

    结尾音乐响起,前奏满是豁然通达,或是说抛弃。



    Cowboy Bebop Ending - The Real Folk Blues

    Friday, February 08, 2008

    唉!!!!!!!!!!

    我他妈的已经到极限了!请恋爱苦恼的人振作点吧!振作!!


    唉,我不在恋爱的怎么经常被卷入龙卷风呢!

    大年初一

    各位饱食年夜饭了没? XD

    我的大年夜过的很糊涂、很足食、很简单。先是出门忘了手机,人家给我拜年我心有余而力不足,我想给人家拜年号码记不得。R又挖苦说我是没头脑(兼“不高兴”,因为懒得回去拿)。R貌似得了时下正猖狂的A型病毒性流感,还没完全康复,只能喝稀粥。我想好歹是本命年,不要过得太凄惨,就叫了一堆外卖(鱼香茄子、鱼片粥、鸭丝金针菇烫、青菜炒滑菇),边吃边看春晚重播。觉得这次的春晚还行,没爸妈说的那么糟,要我评选的话底下这个“影子手”很精致。当中有一段他们学狗叫,Bobo(R的宠物狗)听到声音猛的惊醒,俩黑眼珠一动不动的盯着屏幕,然后越来越激动开始跟着吠。影子狗舔舌头的时候Bobo也跟着舔 XD 超级无敌可爱的笨蛋!



    章子怡有熊胆上台献丑,我佩服的五体投地。那“美喵”的歌喉激动地我鸡皮爬上发根。舞台背景设计的狂赞,全都砸给她了!我不明白甩大牌是啥意思,太TM没意义了,浪费资源!

    最近都在说陈冠希的绯闻,我只能说不管是鸡是鸭你们都很倒霉,也很活该。那人要是股票的话快抛啊快抛!

    Wednesday, February 06, 2008

    新年快乐!



    祝各位新年快乐,大吉大利!涂鸦一张以表心意,老鼠们一定要穿红的出门呀!

    Tuesday, February 05, 2008

    Toys in the attic

    今天来拉点家常。。。

    Toys in the attic是Cowboy bebop里的一集,讲的是被遗忘在冰箱里的龙虾闷了一年,变异成剧毒slime。这个故事告诉我们什么呢?冰箱是最恐怖的地方,若不及时清理就会滋生灵异事件。为什么没有鬼片是讲冰箱里的过期食品的呢?

    突然想到这个是因为我今天清理冰箱,挖出:长有黑霉的胡萝卜两袋、07年12月21日过期的牛奶两升(已成奶酪和奶稀)、长满牛角的土豆5个、枯萎的葱一扎、干瘪的红辣椒一袋、粘如浆糊的银耳木耳汤一碗。

    啊,我竟然还活着!

    然后我拖了一整袋垃圾下楼,将之轰隆一声甩入垃圾桶的时候我赶到无比言语的解脱。

    各位08年计划/决心进行的如何呢?(奸笑) 唉,我没啥长进啊,但比起去年似乎好了芝麻这么一点点。

    一时冲动买了Bandai一月份新出的Cowboy bebop remix (complete collection),6盘DVD,完整收录26集外加session 0(采访花絮)。这个应该是限北美发行吧,最有收藏价值的Perfect session限量版拍卖起来怕是要500大洋。